Chapter 7

Surfing for Compliments

Maia continued her nighttime job, answering phone calls. But her favorite client hadn't called for her for over a month. She had come to terms with the fact that she was probably not going to hear from him again.

January 30th – 10:50 pm

"Hi! My name is Cali. What's your name?"

"Cali, it's me, G."

Maia's heartbeat went wild. She swallowed hard and ran over to the bed to sit and make herself comfortable, "G? It's so good to hear from you! You know this is being recorded and …"

She heard the star key.

"How have you been?" He asked.

"Oh, G. You wouldn't believe what's happened to me. Life's been crazy. I was sick for several weeks, had to move and found a really nice day job."

"You've been busy. You were sick?"

"I was in the hospital for several days."

"But your doctor cured you?"

"I had two working on my case. Oh man, you wouldn't believe this one doctor. God, was he a jerk. He was mean and egotistical. He thought he was God."

House was feeling a little miffed, "But he cured you."

Maia was a little surprised by his tone. He almost sounded angry. "Yes, he was brilliant and he cured me. I understand that he's one of the best in the world and I was lucky he was on my case. Well, he wasn't on my case. He was supervising the doctor who was on my case."

"Ah, so was this doctor, kinda like Ben Casey? A devilishly handsome and brilliant doctor?"

Maia started giggling uncontrollably. House waited, getting more perturbed every second.

"Oh, hardly Ben Casey. If you could have seen this guy! He's disheveled, probably 50, scruffy beard, wrinkled clothes. My real doctor was nice, but a short Jewish guy who had a wedding ring on so I assume he was married."

"Well, getting back to the brilliant one. Didn't he have any redeeming qualities?"

She sat back. I don't want to tell him he was handsome. You never tell a client that you think someone else is handsome…do you? "Well, he cured me."

"That's it?"

"Isn't that enough? He's a doctor."

"I don't know, I was just thinking, maybe you could give me a fantasy with you and the doctor."

"The doctor? You want a fantasy between me and a doctor you've never met?"

"Why not? You've heard of voyeurism? Just think of me as a voyeur. So this doctor is scruffy and ugly?"

"Well, not ugly. He has nice eyes, really nice eyes."

"Ah, nice big, brown eyes?" House baited her, fishing for a compliment.

"Do you like brown eyes?"

House exhaled, "Well…they were brown, right?"

She hesitated. "You're acting a little strange tonight G…are you high?"

He banged his head back on the headboard in frustration. "Just tell me the story."

"Blue. The most beautiful blue eyes you've ever seen. Long fingers, long like my cousin's. They're graceful hands, almost too graceful for a man. He's tall, so tall that I have to stand on tip-toes to reach his lips. His lips, they're wide cupid bows on a long face and square jaw. He looks intelligent, witty and mischievous. His hair is thinning and it's mostly gray mixed with brown. He has a freckle on the left side of his forehead and lots of crows feet. He has a nice cock. It's long and round enough. And with his kisses I can feel his tongue slip inside my mouth, searching for my tongue. He smells like a man, but not pungent. In fact, when he's excited his smell is an aphrodisiac, it's hot. He's crippled though, I saw the scar on his thigh and it's pretty dramatic, mean looking. He has to use a cane. But in some ways, it's hot. He does some funny moves with his cane, it's an extension of his sensuality."

House, pleased that she could go into such detail, butted in, "Did you have sex?"

Maia chuckled, "Are we talking real life or the fantasy?"

"Real life." He yelled.

"Hey, what is up with you? You don't have to yell at me."

"Uh..well, I'm just interested."

"You sound like you have a cold."

House looked at the saran wrap over the receiver that he had placed to disguise his voice. "Yeah, sinus thing."

"Oh. Well, we almost had sex, but he…"

House waited, but she went silent, "Hey, the meter's running. He what?"

"You know, I don't think I want to talk about this."

He could sense she was upset, "What's wrong?"

"G. It wasn't my finest hour. I tried to make him have sex with me."

"Ah ha! So you did find him attractive!"

She sighed, "In an odd way. I'm sure you're much more attractive."

"Stick to the story. What did you find attractive about him?"

"Why are you obsessed with this doctor?" She was starting to get flustered.

"I don't think I'm the one obsessed. You seemed to have noticed quite a bit about him."

"It's just that he was here for awhile."

"Get back to the sex."

She laughed, "I was going to be evicted. I needed money."

"And he was going to pay you the rent money for sex?"

"No, I offered, but he didn't think I was good looking enough."

House started laughing, she had forgotten that she was suppose to be the gorgeous Cali aka Jennifer. "Really? He doesn't like tall, lanky, brunette coeds?" House almost laughed out loud when she started to sputter.

"Uh, uh…uh, he likes blondes."

"Really?" House said suspiciously.

"I guess I just wasn't his type. He didn't like my looks." She took a breath, "He told me that I was ugly." She started crying.

House felt guilty for making her cry, for telling her he found her unattractive. Sitting there on the bed he realized that he wanted her more than the lanky girl in the advertisement. Maia was more real to him that the gorgeous Jennifer.

She continued, "He felt pity for me. To keep me from walking the streets he was going to go through with it. But he couldn't, he found me too repulsive." He could hear her trying to hold herself together, "So I guess it's time for me to come clean. I don't look like the photo in the magazine. Obviously, I don't look anything like the photo in the magazine or he wouldn'thave found me so repulsive. If you met me, you'd probably be disappointed. I'm not tall and I'm not brunette."

"Hmmm. Do I get a discount now?"

She started laughing. He loved hearing her laugh.

"So did you get kicked out?" he asked.

Her laughter slowed to a chuckle, "Yes. I was evicted."

"Are you homeless?"

"No, I met a wonderful man. He's really taken care of me."

House sat up straight, "You what? You met a man?" He thought back. He had called the motel a few weeks ago. She met a man in that quickly?

"G man, you sound upset."

"I called you on Christmas and since then, you've met and seduced a doctor and now you've met a man who takes care of you? You move quickly."

She pulled the receiver back and looked at it, "G. you sound jealous."

He was. "This new guy, have you had sex with him?"

She thought about Bear. He was in his early fifties and a big, broad teddy bear of a guy. He had a good head of black and gray, wavy hair, mustache and broad shoulders. He was six foot plus with a slight, but not unsightly, paunch. He was single, but he hadn't made a move on her. She assumed it was because she had become somewhat unattractive since her downfall.

"No, not yet."

He twisted and leaned forward, "But you intend to have sex with him?"

"G man. I've let you get very personal tonight, but you're starting to sound a little like O.J. Maybe we call it a night."

He needed to know more. He had to calm down or he'd lose her. He was calm, softer, "I'm worried about you. You haven't had good luck with men and now you talk about meeting this guy who's taking care of you. I just don't want you to get hurt."

She smiled at his kindness, "Don't worry, this man has been really nice. He gave me a job, a place to stay…he gave me hope."

"You're not at the motel?"

A chill went through her. Maia said very slowly, "Motel? I didn't tell you that I was in a motel."

"Simple deduction. You had to move out of your apartment, but you didn't go to a shelter so a motel is the most likely place to go."

The hairs on her neck didn't lay down, but it did seem logical. "No, I'm not at a motel."

"Where did you go?"

"I live above the place I work at during the day."

"Where's that?"

She chuckled, "I think it's time for me to go. I don't think you want phone sex, do you?"

He kicked back and put his head on the pillow. "Tell me, you said your doctor was going to take pity on you and boink you anyway. What happened?"

"I told you. I was so repugnant to him, he couldn't do it."

"H e told you that?"

"He told me that he didn't want to do it with me because I look like crap. When re relented, he couldn't consummate the sex. You can put two plus two together."

"Maybe he's just not capable of doing it."

She snickered, "No, he's very capable of it. I found him having sex on my couch with the woman in the advertisement. I pay her a percentage of my take so she came by to pick up her check. He was at my apartment, they went out and the rest is part of my nightmare."

"Wow! Maybe he couldn't do it with you because it was about the money. He knew you really didn't want to have sex, you were just doing it for the money?"

"Now you're being too kind. Isn't there a maxim that says the simplest answer is usually the right answer?"

"Occam's razor."

"Simplest answer is that he couldn't stand the thought of having sex with me."

House blew air out of his cheeks, "Well, if you won't tell me where you're working, at least tell me what kind of job you have?"

"I'm a waitress. Do you want me to finish the fantasy with the doctor?"

He felt like he had hit a dead end. "It's okay. I'm tired." He paused, "But I do have one question."

"What?"

"Did you want to have sex with the Doctor?"

"No, I don't think so, at least not like that. I didn't want to do it for money and I sure didn't want him to do it out of pity. Okay G. You sleep tight and don't let the bed bugs bite. Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

What was that about? Is he so lonely that he just calls to talk? Why do I care, it's nice to have someone who just wants to talk with me. I'd love to see what he looks like.

Wilson tapped his feet both in anger and to keep warm. He saw House walking towards him, wrapped in his blue peacoat and ski cap. He walked up to meet him. "Forget it, the movie started five minutes ago."

House's breath curled in a fine cold mist, "Five minutes? Only five minutes and you're pissed? Come on, let's go in, we can still figure out the plot."

Wilson turned and started walking away, "Fine, let me know if I should go see it."

House frowned and shook his head around in disbelief and frustration, "Come on." He caught up to Wilson, "You're not mad because we missed the first five minutes of a Bruce Willis film are you?"

"I'm just tired of always waiting for you."

House looked across the street, "It's 1:40. It's playing at two of the theaters, we can make the 2:15 pm. Let's go grab a cup of coffee in there." House nodded to the bakery.

Wilson raised an eyebrow and looked at him suspiciously.

House snarled, "Okay, I'll even buy."

Wilson said nothing, but headed towards the restaurant. When the walked inside, there was the pleasant aroma of bread and pastries baking. There was a large display counter with various goods for sale, a cashier's area and then numerous tables to choose from, the lunch crowd had apparently come and gone. There were only three tables occupied.

House and Wilson took a table close to the window, sitting down and looking at the beverage menu. Maia walked out when she heard the bell from the door tinkle. She was carrying Eggs Benedict and a café late for table 5. She looked up briefly and saw two men at table 3, one with his back to her. She set the food down, asked if there was anything the customer needed and then went back to grab some menus. As she made her way over to the table she recognized the man facing her as one of the doctors from the hospital. She stepped up between them and smiled down.

"Can I…" Maia's mouth opened slightly and then she froze.

"Miss?" Wilson asked. Wondering why she seemed almost frightened of House.

House looked up at the sound of her voice. He smiled broadly, happy to know that his luck had changed after looking for her in every restaurant he passed by. "So you're still alive?"

Maia could feel beads of sweat forming and her heart racing. She cleared her throat, "May I get you something to drink?"

There was a strange pause as Wilson watched the two of them size each other up, "Café mocha late for me." Wilson was hoping she had heard; she looked like she was in a trance-like state.

House felt like the cat that had caught the mouse. He took a good look, she looked better, much healthier. She was putting weight on again and her hair was a shiny golden blonde.

She shook her head, "I can't do this. I'm sorry, I'll send someone else out to get your orders." She turned and trotted into the back. House pulled his hat off and tried to fix his hair with his hand before grabbing his cane and taking off after her. He saw her in the kitchen handing her order book to some burly man before rushing up a set of stairs in the back.

The man came out, took a look at House, "Can I help you?"

"Bathroom?"

He motioned with his head, "Behind you." He took another look at House, "Are you one of the men who needs their order taken?"

"Coffee and a tuna croissant." House said.

The man nodded and then went out to talk to Wilson. House reached in the bathroom, flipped the light on and then shut it closed to give the appearance that he was in there. He hobbled to the stairs, looked up and made his way, one at a time up to her little studio. There was no door at the top of the stairs, just a double wide doorway. He peaked in and saw her sitting on the futon holding a pillow to her chest and staring off into space. He took the last step inside.

"Maia. "

She looked up, annoyed and nervous, "Greg, please leave. This is my home, please get out."

He walked over and sat down next to her, "I could say I missed you, but I don't miss a pain in the ass. I am curious to know how you're doing."

"Fine, I'm fine. I landed on my feet and I'm fine. Now, can you go?" She was calming down, growing stronger.

"Good." He paused, not sure what to say. Now he started to get nervous. He had the mouse, but it was turning into the 800 pound gorilla.

"I think it's time you leave. Now you know, I ended up here. I work and live here. I'm doing fine. I'm grateful you saved me, kept me from killing myself. So does that help? I will be forever grateful to you for saving me. I've thanked you. Please, please go. You're a reminder of the lowest point in my life and it hurts just to look at you."

The way she said it wasn't malicious or sarcastic. It was a plain and simple statement of fact and it hurt. House didn't want her to think of him as the pinnacle of her defeat. But he knew he wasn't going to change that perception today. He stood up, looked into her steel grey eyes and left. He took a short detour to the toilet and then back out to Wilson. The sandwich had already been served.

Wilson leaned forward, "What was that about?"

"She's the one that was purposefully infected with two strains of bacteria."

"Oh. Well, she looks healthy now. Did you find out who did it?"

House's nose wrinkled, "Nah, we kind of had a falling out."

"Why does that not surprise me. She looked like a zombie when she saw it was you. You better eat up and pay the bill. We only have ten minutes."

House felt both sad and happy. He wished she had been happier to see him, but there was no denying he would enjoy the game that was about to begin.